Motor vehicles typically include a windshield wiper system having wiper arm assemblies each including a wiper arm and a wiper blade. In use, each wiper blade is located in a blade contact position wherein the wiper blade contacts a surface of the windshield. The wiper arm assemblies articulate back and forth across the windshield of a vehicle so that the wiper blades wipe away or clean water, snow, debris and other undesirable items from the windshield to provide the operator and other occupants with a clear sight path through the windshield.
Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary wiper atm assembly 10 including a wiper arm 12 and associated wiper blade 14 is shown. The wiper arm 12 includes a base arm section 15 that is attached to a rotatable shaft 16 of a wiper motor. The wiper arm 12 also includes a moveable arm section 18 that is attached to the base section 15 by a hinge or pivot joint 20. The pivot joint 20 enables rotation of the moveable section 18 and wiper blade 14 away from the contact position to an extended position wherein the moveable section 18 and the wiper blade 14 are spaced apart from a windshield 22. In cold and snowy conditions, for example, many vehicle operators position at least one wiper blade 14 in the extended position when the motor vehicle is not being operated (i.e. parked) to prevent the wiper blade 14 from being frozen in place when snow, ice or other debris accumulates on the windshield 22. In addition, placement of the wiper blade 14 in the extended position enables easy removal of snow, ice or debris since the wiper blade 14 is out of the way. However, the moveable section 18 may move or snap back in a first direction 24 toward the windshield 22 such that the wiper blade 14 moves from the extended position to the contact position and impacts the windshield 22 with sufficient force so as to damage the windshield 22 and/or the wiper blade 14.